The Illinois Recreational Cheer Association wrapped up its inaugural spring season of competition with what it called The Top Dawg Competition for youth cheer and dance teams at Wauconda High School.
(Top “Dawg” comes from Wauconda High being Home of the Bulldogs).
Cheer and dance teams representing youth football programs, park districts, grade schools, and private programs competed and, in the end, it was Cheer & Dance Xtreme based in Gurnee that did Xtremely well.
CDX entered cheer squads in four age groups — school grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 — and finished first in each division.
In addition, CDX’s oldest group, the high school squad, had the best score for the entire competition across every decision, which earned that group the IRCA’s Top Dawg honor for the spring.
“The hard work, time, and dedication our Xtreme athletes and coaches put in truly pays off,” said Stacey McKie, one of the founders of Cheer & Dance Xtreme. “Although we will be losing one of our amazing coaches (Sonia Dominquez), who will be going to cheer in college at the University of Iowa (Sonia Dominguez) and who I had the privilege of coaching and mentoring while I was coaching at Waukegan (High), we are still so excited about the upcoming season, and the continued growth of our program.”
Currently, McKie is taking registration for boys and girls who want to cheer during the fall season, but an appointment is necessary. If interested, email cheerdancextreme@yahoo.com. McKie heads the cheer half of CDX. The dance half is run by Jill Franz, current dance coach at Waukegan High School.
Cheer & Dance Xtreme is located on Lakeside Drive in Gurnee, which is just west of the tollway and south off of Route 132. To get there, you turn south off Route 132 at the same stop light you’d turn north to get to Steak & Shake.